{{Infobox Company 
| company_name = Coop NKL BA
| company_logo = [[Image:Logo Coop Norway.png|center]]
| company_type = [[Cooperative]]
| foundation = 1906
| location = [[Oslo]], [[Norway]]
| key_people =  (CEO)
| area_served = [[Norway]]
| industry = [[Retailer|Retail]]
| products = 
| revenue = [[Norwegian krone|NOK]] 18.6 billion (2005)
| operating_income = {{profit}} [[Norwegian krone|NOK]] 43 million (2005)
| net_income = {{profit}} [[Norwegian krone|NOK]] 376 million (2005)
| num_employees = 
| parent = 
| subsid = 
| homepage = http://www.coop.no
| footnotes =
}}

'''Coop NKL BA''' is a [[Norway|Norwegian]] [[co-operative]] [[retail|retailing]] company.  Coop NKL is owned by 177 (as of 2005) local cooperative associations in Norway, operates a total of 1300 [[store]]s, and has more than one million [[member]]s.  The company has its [[headquarter]]s in [[Oslo]].  Coop NKL also ownes 20% of [[Coop Norden]], a Nordic cooperation among co-operatives.

==Organisation==
Each of the more than one million members of Coop belongs to one or more of the 177 local cooperatives.  A member must make a cash [[deposit]] of between [[Norwegian krone|NOK]] 100 and 300 (depending on which cooperative it is).  The deposit, with [[interest]], is redeemable if the member should choose to cancel his membership.  Each of the local cooperatives operates one or more stores, 1300 in total.  Most of these stores belong to the Coop chains (though some stores are operated on third-party [[franchise]] argreements).  Each of the local cooperatives has a [[board of directors|board]] [[election|elected]] by the members, with each member having one vote.  Dividends are paid out based on a percentage of the amount purchased, not based on the capital lent.  The local cooperatives own Coop NKL, who again owns 20% of Coop Norden. Coop Norden owns Coop Norge AS, which functions as a wholesaler and chain management for the stores in Norway.

==History==
Though the first cooperative store in Norway was started in the 1850s, '''Norges Kooperative Landsforening''' (NKL) was not founded until 1906 when representatives from 28 co-operatives founded NKL on [[June 27]]. In 1907 it joined the [[International Co-operative Alliance]], where Coop NKL still is a member. The first function of NKL was to function as [[wholesale|wholeseller]] for the co-operative stores of Norway.

In 1911 NKL acquired its first factory, the [[margarine]] factory ''Margarinfabrikken Norge'' in [[Bergen]], later also purchasing margarine factories in Oslo and [[Bodø]]. In 1914 NKL bought a [[tobacco]] factory and in 1916 a [[coffee]] manufacturing plant. Throughout the 1920s NKL went into production of [[shoe]]s and [[flour]] and in the 1930s [[chocolate]] and [[light bulb]]s. In 1930 NKL also established its own [[insurance company]], [[Samvirke Forsikring]]. NKL owned Tormolux started producing [[washing machine]]s and [[moped]]s in the 1950s and in 1976 NKL aquired [[Røra Fabrikker]] who make [[jam]] and [[juice]]. 

On [[October 1]] [[1947]] the first self serve store opened in Norway. In 1951 the law was changed, and local co-operatives were allowed to open branch stores and also sell products to non-members. The S brand was taken into use in 1967 and a year later the warehouse chain [[Domus]] was started. The chain [[Obs!]] was started in 1975. In 1980 NKL, as the first retailer in Norway, launched non brand name products in blue and white liveries. In 1990 the chain Prix, now [[Coop Prix]] was introduced. In 2000 NKL was rebranded to Coop and in 2002 Coop Norden was established. At the same time NKL chaged its name to Coop NKL.

==Brands==
First and foremost Coop operates food stores, but Coop also has some other store brands. Coop also has its own food brands, including X-tra and Coop.

===Food stores===
* [[Coop Obs!]] is the largest store, 24 in total, that offers the largest selection of products, including non-foods. The stores do not have fresh food counters.
* [[Coop Mega]] is a large food store with a large selection and a fresh food counter.
* [[Coop Prix]] is a medium sized store with a smaller selection of products and with the lowest prices.
* [[Coop Marked]] is a local store concept, used primarily in rural areas. The store has the smallest selection of products, but also carries some non-food items.

===Other stores===
* [[Coop electro]] is the [[electrical article]] store chain. 
* [[Coop bygmix]] is the [[hardware store]] chain.
* [[Coop sport]] is a sport store chain.
* [[Coop kjøkken og hjem]] offeres a variety of home and kitchen products.

===Product brands===
* Coop is a high quality brand with lower prices than branded products.
* X-tra is a low cost brand.
* [[Coop Natur]] is a brand of [[ecological food]].
* [[Coop Kaffe]] has since 1954 been Coop's [[coffee]] brand, offering the largest selection of coffee in Norway.
* [[Goman]] is a [[bakery]] product brand owned by Coop.
* [[Røra Fabrikker|Røra]] offeres [[jam]] and [[juice]] of various types.

==External links==
* [http://www.coop.no Coop web site] {{no icon}}
* [http://www.coop100.no 100 year anniversary web site] {{no icon}}

[[Category:Cooperatives]]
[[Category:Retail companies of Norway]]
[[Category:Wholesalers of Norway]]

[[no:Coop NKL]]